Dear Friends: Yesterday I finished the “shloshim” for my father, Elliott Arian. Just like the word “shiva” means seven, the word...

Dear Friends: This morning I want to share with you just a couple of quick notes. On Wednesday I sent you a very brief outline of my...

Dear Friends: Tonight begins the Shabbat of Chanukah and so I wanted to update you on a few matters of proper Shabbat observance during...

Dear Friends: This morning the Supreme Court of the United States will hear a case that many fear could lead to the reversal of Roe v...

Dear Friends: There is a debate in the Talmud about the proper way to light the Chanukah lights. According to all opinions, the basic...

Dear Friends: Earlier this week a mezuzah was placed on the front door of the Vice President’s Residence at the Naval Observatory. This...

Dear Friends: The late Rabbi Richard Israel once published an essay in Moment Magazine which he later expanded into a book called The...

Dear Friends: On Wednesday I began an exploration of the question “Is Thanksgiving Kosher?” and explained that while there are some Jews...

Dear Friends: Is Thanksgiving kosher? This question may never have occurred to you but in more traditionalist Jewish communities it is a...

Dear Friends: Yesterday I finished sitting shiva for my father Elliott Arian z”l and this morning I am back at work. This is the first...

Dear Friends: Once again this coming Monday morning you will not receive a “Rabbi’s Update” from me. I plan to be in New York with my...

Dear Friends: This has already been a very difficult week for our community. Irene Feuer, the mother of our Synagogue Administrator Andie...

Dear Friends: Today leaders of most of the world’s countries are gathering in Glasgow, Scotland, for the COP26 Climate Change Summit. The...

Dear Friends: Yesterday was the first day since August that there has been no indoor mask mandate imposed by Montgomery County. Yesterday...

Dear Friends: As you may recall, a number of years ago the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of Conservative Judaism (CJLS or the Law...

Dear Friends: Last Friday night, Oct. 15, Hazzan Komrad led services with me for the first time since early June. I’m pleased to let you...

Dear Friends: Yesterday Montgomery County finally hit the metric where the rate of community transmission of COVID-19 is considered...

Dear Friends: This past Shabbat at Kehilat Shalom was very special. On Friday night we had a mini-celebration of Kehilat Shalom’s 50th...

Dear Friends: A few notes on upcoming events: First of all, I am very happy that Hazzan Komrad will be leading services together with me...

Dear Friends: This coming Shabbat morning, October 16, Miriam Sternberg, daughter of Seth and Deborah and younger sister of Gabriel, will...